Science and business join forces in Brazil to accelerate innovation in food by focusing on the sustainable use of LATAM’s biodiversity and affordable nutrition for consumers

Three leading global companies, Givaudan, Bühler, and Cargill, have formed a consortium in collaboration with the FoodTech HUB Latam and ITAL, Food Technology Institute, to build a food innovation centre in the city of Campinas, recognised as Brazil’s tech powerhouse. The “Tropical Food Innovation Lab” will be located at the Food Technology Institute, ITAL, in a fully refurbished, 1,300 square metre area.

This new hub will be the go-to place in Latin America to connect and develop sustainable, future food and beverage products. Start-ups, companies, investors, universities and research institutions will have direct access to high-end technologies for rapid prototyping and plugging into the global food tech ecosystem that will foster fast-paced innovation in the food and beverage sector.

The most current generation of wet and dry extrusion systems for plant-based proteins, as well as beverages processing units will add complementary capabilities to the existing facilities of ITAL. When complete, the facility will feature new application labs and a state of the art demo kitchen, where consumers, food scientists, nutritionists, chefs, mixologists and marketers, among other professionals, will work together to create sustainable new products.

In a world facing major challenges from climate change, combined with a population expected to exceed 9.5 billion people by 2050, it is essential for the food industry to take positive action and work towards a regenerative and equitable food system that and provides healthy, safe and nutritious food for all, while staying within the planetary boundaries.

Brazil has the richest plant biodiversity on the planet, distributed in six major biomes and is one of the world’s main food producers. Yet immense potential remains, with regards to healthy and sustainable products, novel food and food waste reduction, contributing to Food Systems Transformation.

The Tropical Food Innovation Lab is planned to open in Q1 2023.

Christoph Goppelsroeder, former President and CEO of DSM Nutritional Products, was unanimously elected to Bühler Group’s Board of Directors on October 8, 2021.

Christoph Goppelsroeder (62) was unanimously elected to Bühler’s Board of Directors at an extraordinary general shareholders’ meeting on October 8, 2021. With his appointment, the Board of Directors is gaining an experienced executive who has played a crucial role in innovation and who puts customer needs first.

Swiss national Christoph Goppelsroeder began his career at The Boston Consulting Group. From 1994 to 2003, he held management positions at Roche Vitamins in Switzerland, Belgium, and the US. He joined DSM through their acquisition of Roche’s Vitamins business in 2003 when he co-led the integration of Roche Vitamins and acted as DSM Managing Board member from 2005 to 2006. From 2007 to 2012, he oversaw Syngenta’s Global Seed Care Division. In 2013, Christoph Goppelsroeder was appointed President and CEO of DSM Nutritional Products, DSM’s largest business, and Member of DSM’s Executive Committee. He led the division on a robust growth path, both organically as well as through acquisitions. He retired on April 1, 2021.